Crib sheet anchor

ABSTRACT

A crib sheet anchor is provided having an octagonal harness pad having at least four corner edges, with at least two of the four corner edges being parallel to one another and arranged at about thirty-five degrees to at least two parallel side edges. In this way, outwardly directed forces applied to the octagonal harness pad are evenly distributed so as to prevent bunching or wrinkling of the crib sheet. Six elastic strips each having two ends with one of the ends fastened to one each of the side edges and the corner edges of the harness pad. Four of the six elastic straps are relatively longer than two of the elastic straps. Six clasps are fastened one each to the free ends of the six elastic straps. The clasps include a crib sheet engagement portion that can be locked in place on a crib sheet and which increases its grip as tension is applied to the crib sheet and the clasp.

[0001] This application claims priority from provisional patentapplication Serial No. 60/173,455, filed Dec. 29, 1999.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] This invention relates generally to bed coverings for infants andin particular to a system for anchoring infant crib sheets to a cribmattress.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Devices adapted for securing a sheet to a mattress are well knownin the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,199,830 discloses a holdingappliance for use on a blanket, mattress pad, or coverlet of a bed. Thedevice includes a band for fixing the blanket or coverlet to a bed insuch a manner that the blanket or coverlet can be freely movablerelative to the bed, without disturbing a person's sleep.

[0004] In U.S. Pat. No. 4,829,617, a bedding attachment device isdisclosed that includes a strip of hook fastening material which isattachable to a bed frame and a strip of loop fastening material whichis selectively attachable to the bedding. Garter-like fastening strapsare fixedly secured to the loop strip, and these straps are attached tothe bedding at selected positions. The bedding may then be stretchedover the mattress until the hook and loop fastening strips are engaged.

[0005] In U.S. Pat. No. 5,148,560, a device for keeping fitted sheets inplace on a mattress is provided. The device includes a central sheetwith substantially the same shape as the mattress but with smallerdimensions. Elastic members are attached to the periphery of the centralsheet pulling inwardly on a fitted sheet. The elastic members arepermanently affixed to the central sheet on one end and removably grabthe edges of the fitted sheet keeping it in place.

[0006] Properly securing an infant crib sheet to the crib mattress canoften be difficult. Even a very young infant is capable of pulling thecorners of a crib sheet loose, even if the sheet is “fitted”. Once freefrom the mattress, the loose sheet poses a very real threat to theinfant inasmuch as the infant may become entrapped in a portion of thesheet and be suffocated. What is needed is a simple, yet highlyeffective system for securing the corners and sides of an infant cribsheet to standard full size crib mattress.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] The present invention provides a crib sheet anchor comprising anoctagonal harness pad having at least four corner edges, with at leasttwo of the four corner edges being parallel to one another and arrangedat about thirty-five degrees to at least two parallel side edges. Inthis way, outwardly directed forces applied to the octagonal harness padare evenly distributed so as to prevent bunching or wrinkling of thecrib sheet. Six elastic strips each having two ends with one of the endsfastened to one each of the side edges and the corner edges of theharness pad. Four of the six elastic straps are relatively longer thantwo of the elastic straps. Six clasps are fastened one each to the freeends of the six elastic straps. The clasps include a crib sheetengagement portion that can be locked in place on a crib sheet and whichincreases its grip as tension is applied to the crib sheet and theclasp.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] These and other features and advantages of the present inventionwill be more fully disclosed in, or rendered obvious by, the followingdetailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention, whichis to be considered together with the accompanying drawings wherein likenumbers refer to like parts and further wherein:

[0009]FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a crib sheet anchor formed inaccordance with the invention assembled to a standard infant crib sheetthat has been placed on a standard crib mattress;

[0010]FIG. 2 is an elevational view of a crib sheet anchor shown in FIG.1;

[0011]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one of the garter clasps shown inFIGS. 1 and 2; and

[0012]FIG. 4 is an elevational view of a portion of the garter claspsshown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0013] This description of preferred embodiments is intended to be readin connection with the accompanying drawings, which are to be consideredpart of the entire written description of this invention. In thedescription, relative terms such as “horizontal,” “vertical,” “up,”“down,” “top” and “bottom” as well as derivatives thereof (e.g.,“horizontally,” “downwardly,” “upwardly,” etc.) should be construed torefer to the orientation as then described or as shown in the drawingfigure under discussion. These relative terms are for convenience ofdescription and normally are not intended to require a particularorientation. Terms including “inwardly” versus “outwardly,”“longitudinal” versus “lateral” and the like are to be interpretedrelative to one another or relative to an axis of elongation, or an axisor center of rotation, as appropriate. Terms concerning attachments,coupling and the like, such as “connected” and “interconnected,” referto a relationship wherein structures are secured or attached to oneanother either directly or indirectly through intervening structures, aswell as both movable or rigid attachments or relationships, unlessexpressly described otherwise. The term “operatively connected” is suchan attachment, coupling or connection that allows the pertinentstructures to operate as intended by virtue of that relationship.

[0014] Referring to FIG. 1, a crib sheet anchor 5 formed in accordancewith the present invention is adapted for maintaining crib sheet 6securely to a crib mattress 7, and comprises a harness pad 10, elasticstraps 15 and garter clasps 20. More particularly, harness pad 10 isoctagonally shaped including two pair of corner edges 22 a, 22 b and 23a, 23 b, side edges 26, and top and bottom edges 28. Each pair of corneredges 22 a, 22 b and 23 a, 23 b are arranged in parallel relation to oneanother such that corner edges 22 a, 22 b are parallel and corner edges23 a, 23 b are parallel. Side edges 26 are parallel to one another asare top and bottom edges 28, with all four being arranged so as to be atabout a thirty-five degree angle to corner edges 22 a, 22 b and 23 a, 23b.

[0015] Harness pad 10 is preferably eight and a half inches wide and tenand a half inches long, and formed from ten ounce duck/canvas clothwhich is preferred for its strength and resistance to stretching ortearing. The peripheral edge 27 of harness pad 10 is folded over uponitself so as to provide about a one inch wide double layer margin 29.Margin 29 is double stitched together with upholstery weight thread ornylon for maximum strength, improved maintenance of overall shape,resistance to dry rot, mold and mildew. The octagonal shape of harnesspad 10 is particularly efficient for evenly distributing tensilestresses that result from the application of outwardly directed forcesapplied to margin 29 by elastic straps 15 when crib sheet anchor 5 isapplied to a crib sheet as shown in FIG. 1.

[0016] There are six elastic straps 15 that are each about one inchwide, with four being about thirteen inches long and two being aboutfour inches long. One each of the four thirteen inch long elastic stripshas an end sewn to margin 29 at the center of each of corner edges 22 a,22 b and 23 a, 23 b. One each of the four inch long elastic strips issewn to the center of a side edge 26. A one inch braided elastic ispreferred for its non-roll quality and long life. Each elastic strip 15is attached to margin 29 with a double stitch 31 of upholstery weightthread or nylon for strength, resistance to dry rot, mold and mildew.

[0017] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, a garter clasp 20 is attached to oneend of each of elastic straps 15. Garter clasps 20 include a tab 30 anda spring clip 33 which are joined to one another at one end. Tab 30 isoften positioned at the end of a flexible member 36, such as a strip ofcanvas, plastic, or the like. Spring clip 33 is formed from a resilientmaterial such as metal or a stiff polymer, that is formed so as toprovide a tab receptacle portion 40 and a tab clamp portion 42. Springclip 33 is often formed so as to resemble a so called “key-hole” shape,having a single aperture with a large opening 43 defined by tabreceptacle portion 40 and a smaller opening 45 defined by tab clampportion 42 into which tab 30 may be locked and held by friction/with andcompression tab clamp 42. Tab receptacle portion 40 is sized so as toaccept tab 30 along with a portion of a crib sheet 6 within largeopening 43. Tab clamp portion 42 is narrower than tab receptacle portion40. In this way, once tab 30 and a portion of crib sheet 6 arepositioned within tab receptacle portion 40 they may be slid into thesmaller opening 45 of tab clamp 42 where they are securely held.Advantageously, as crib sheet 6 is pulled against the clamping action ofgarter clasp 20, tab clamp 42 operates to increase its locking hold orgrip upon the portion of crib sheet 6 that is positioned within it bytab 30.

[0018] Crib sheet anchor 5 is attached to a crib sheet 6 in thefollowing manner. Crib sheet 6 is secured to mattress 7 in theconventional way. Mattress 7 with crib sheet 6 attached is then turnedover to reveal its underside, and the peripheral edges of crib sheet 6.Crib sheet anchor 5 is placed in the center of mattress 7, and eachgarter clasp 20 is fastened to a confronting peripheral edge portion ofcrib sheet 6, so that corner edges 22 a, 22 b and 23 a, 23 b and sideedges 26 are attached, via elastic strips 15 and garter clasps 20, tothe overlapping edges of crib sheet 6. The length of elastic strips 15and the octagonal shape of harness pad 10 are selected so as to allowtension to be applied evenly to the peripheral edges of crib sheet 6without pulling the corners of mattress 7 in from the crib or causingwrinkles in the top side of crib sheet 6. Thus crib sheet anchor 5 isdesigned to hold an infant fitted or flat crib sheet snug to a standardfull size crib mattress without wrinkles and so as to be resistant tothe forces generated by the motions of an infant that cause fitted orflat crib sheets to otherwise ride up and come free from the mattresspossibly causing an entrapment and suffocation threat to the child.

[0019] Advantages of the Invention

[0020] Numerous advantages are obtained by employing the presentinvention.

[0021] More specifically, a crib sheet anchor is provided which avoidsmany problems associated with prior art devices.

[0022] In addition, a crib sheet anchor is provided which distributestensile forces across a central harness pad so as to better preventwrinkling of a crib sheet.

[0023] Furthermore, a crib sheet anchor is provided which will secure aninfant fitted or flat crib sheet to a crib mattress so as to beresistant to the normal movements and motions of an infant in astandard, full size crib.

[0024] Also, a crib sheet anchor is provided which is safe to use andwill not cause, itself, cause injury to infants sleeping in a crib.

[0025] In addition, a crib sheet anchor is provided which is simple tooperate and easy to use.

[0026] Furthermore, a crib sheet anchor is provided which may be easilyand efficiently manufactured and marketed.

[0027] It is to be understood that the present invention is by no meanslimited only to the particular constructions herein disclosed and shownin the drawings, but also comprises any modifications or equivalentswithin the scope of the claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A crib sheet anchor comprising: an octagonalharness pad having at least four corner edges that are arranged at aboutthirty-five degrees to at least two parallel side edges; six elasticstrips each having two ends with one of said ends fastened to one eachof said side edges and said corner edges of said harness pad whereinfour of said six elastic straps are relatively longer than two of saidelastic straps; and six clasps fastened one each to free ends of saidsix elastic straps.
 2. A crib sheet anchor comprising: an octagonalharness pad having at least four corner edges wherein at least two ofsaid four corner edges are parallel to one another and are arranged atabout thirty-five degrees to at least two parallel side edges wherebyoutwardly directed forces applied to said octagonal harness pad areevenly distributed; six elastic strips each having two ends with one ofsaid ends fastened to one each of said side edges and said corner edgesof said harness pad wherein four of said six elastic straps arerelatively longer than two of said elastic straps; and six claspsfastened one each to free ends of said six elastic straps wherein saidclasps include a crib sheet engagement portion that can be locked inplace on a crib sheet and which increases its grip as tension is appliedto said crib sheet and said clasp.
 3. A crib sheet anchor comprising: anoctagonal harness pad having at least four corner edges, a top edge anda bottom edge, wherein at least two of said four corner edges areparallel to one another and are arranged at about thirty-five degrees toat least two parallel side edges whereby outwardly directed forcesapplied to said octagonal harness pad are evenly distributed whereinsaid side edges are spaced apart by about eight and a half inches andsaid top and bottom edges are spaced apart by about ten and a halfinches; six one inch wide elastic strips each having two ends with oneof said ends fastened to one each of said side edges and said corneredges of said harness pad wherein four of said six elastic straps areabout thirteen inches long and two of said elastic straps are about fourinches long; and six clasps fastened one each to free ends of said sixelastic straps wherein said clasps include a crib sheet engagementportion that can be locked in place on a crib sheet and which increasesits grip as tension is applied to said crib sheet and said clasp.